As a home assistant, HomePod is a great way to send messages, get updates on news, sports and weather, or control smart home devices by simply asking Siri to turn on the lights, close the shades or activate a scene. It has been tested by some Apple employees in their homes for upwards of a year, according to people familiar with the matter.

Referring to the speakers' mechanical details like its virtual surround sound, Phil Schiller, Apple's marketing chief, said, "You don't have to know what any of that is; just know that it sounds incredible".

And HomePod can do that - some of the time, and only with Apple services. The new Echo Show goes on sale on June 28 for $230. This is the only big announcement by Apple since the launch of its Apple Watch sometime back in September 2014.

With so many low-cost Bluetooth speakers already on the market, I think Apple might have a hard time carving out a niche. Synced directly with Siri and AppleMusic, the powerful speaker will play whatever it is told to play. Meant to be Apple's extension into your home, and working with your iPhone and iPad, the device brings Siri's voice-activation features to home automation.

Apple also offered some hints about new capabilities in the next iPhone, including so-called augmented reality, in which digital information is overlaid on real-world images.

Apple also may introduce its next Mac computer, along with the next operating system powering the machine.

It's powered by an A8 processor that Apple says helps it tap into the cloud and provide the best audio experience in your room.

Moderate Republicans rise up in KansasJun 10, 2017 - 09:16
Trump, also taking Laffer's advice, has proposed a special tax rate of just 15 percent for pass-through business income. The disparate tax burdens stem in part from the fact that Kansas relies on sales taxes for much of the state's revenue.

Church bus crashes near Atlanta, killing 1Jun 09, 2017 - 08:57
Harnering was one of several on a bus carrying students on their way to the airport for a mission trip to Botswana. The National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering information but hadn't yet chose to launch a team.

Chilling Confession Leads To Child's BodyJun 09, 2017 - 08:56
Louis Post-Dispatch and several others report that the child was six, while other outlets say the child was seven years old. Belleville police said in a statement that a team of officers was sent to Las Vegas to coordinate the investigation.

Crosby scores, Malkin shoots yet Penguins lose 4-1 to PredsJun 09, 2017 - 08:50
Barkley interrupted Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey talking about National Hockey League fans voting for the best team of all-time. And he calls Stanley Cup overtime hockey the craziest thing anyone will ever see, just one reason why he loves the sport.

Twitter users, blocked by President Trump, cry censorshipJun 08, 2017 - 04:39
That's because when a user is blocked on Twitter, they can no longer see a user's account, or comment on tweets the user has made. Because of that, the institution tells the president, "viewpoint-based blocking of our clients is unconstitutional".

Cooper signs on to Paris climate change pactJun 07, 2017 - 11:00
President! America joined Nicaragua and Syria as the only nations that did not sign the Paris Agreement. The decision was widely denounced by American politicians, pundits and leaders from around the world.

Philippine lawmakers ask top court to nullify martial lawJun 07, 2017 - 11:00
Contrary to the President's Report, the Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) was not overrun by the Maute Group according to Dr. Five days after declaring martial law, Duterte vowed to ignore the Supreme Court and only listen to the military and police.

Trump Wants Expanded Travel Ban Following London Terrorist AttackJun 06, 2017 - 05:37
But Trump's latest comments undercut his own team, and have lawyers sharpening their knives for a possible Supreme Court showdown. Trump's call for a ban also is not in keeping with American values and it "exceeds the president's authority", Cardin also said.